Lucy Thomas, a forward on Monmouth University ‘s Women’s basketball team, closed out her incredible college basketball career with a run to the NCAA Tournament, shortly after reaching 1,000 points as a Hawk. On Friday, April 14th, I had the opportunity to interview Lucy and discuss with her career leading up to this incredible milestone. Since this is Lucy’s fifth and final year here at Monmouth, it was a great opportunity to look back on her incredible basketball career and time here at Monmouth.
Lucy attended St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey before attending Monmouth, where she scored a total of 1,620 points when she graduated and led St. Rose to their first state title since 2015. Lucy shared, “It was something that progressed as I went on, my freshman year I scored around 460 points so once that happened, I wanted to make this a goal in highschool and get that. In college I didn’t think about it as much as I did in high school because I was just letting everything flow.” As years passed and she accumulated more points, she inched closer and closer to 1,000 points. Lucy explains, “I knew I was close but I was trying not to think about it.” Once the game against William and Mary on February 5th approached, she said, “I was told I had four more points. I mean the whole time I tried not to think about it, and just focus on the game and then obviously when I did reach the 1,000 the moment was just amazing, it was a really good moment in my life, just pure joy.” Following her answer, I asked Lucy if she thought that it helped not to think too much into the 1,000 and just let the game flow like she referred to. She responded with, “For sure, just the constant overthinking of how many I have to score, is too much.”
To make Lucy’s last and final year even more memorable, she ended this season with a new career-high in points in a single season, with 313. I asked Lucy if she approached this year differently, and she told me, “Well, I was able to get in the gym a bit more. Throughout the years of college, I battled through injuries, and my last and final year I wanted to get in the gym more and do other things. I then felt like myself again after going through all those injuries. I felt myself as a player this year and my abilities and of course giving credit to my teammates. I always got good passes, good looks and they just really trusted me too so that helps a lot.”
In addition to Lucy’s teammates, her parents were also a big part of her journey. She said, “I just always had my parents’ support which helps a lot, it just really kept me on track. I give them credit for everything.”
Lucy also shared some of the most memorable moments of her college career, “Obviously winning the CAA championship, I’ll never forget about that. Even going to the tournament was an experience in itself and was just so good to have your last and final year playing. So, I’m grateful for that. To give an old memory, I think it was my freshman or sophomore year I hit a buzzerbeater, a game winner buzzerbeater. Getting to experience that as I think as a freshman or sophomore, that was cool.”
Finally, Lucy shared how she is as a player, “As a player I am really competitive, so just giving it my all on the court and just trying to outbeat opponents or even in practice trying to get each other better, like teammates, pushing them, being really competitive with each other. I think competitiveness is really one of my biggest strengths.”
Drive and determination are most certainly two of Lucy’s best traits; she took her game to a new level when it mattered most. In 2022-23, Lucy set career-highs in points in a season with 313, as well as field goal percentage, scoring at a whopping 51.9 percent clip.
Leaving Monmouth, Lucy has a historical career to look back on with so many memories to cherish. From scoring a record breaking 1,620 in highschool, to leading her highschool teammates to a state title, to her incredible numbers here at Monmouth.
